1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods useful for oral hygiene, and more particularly to compositions and methods that are useful for cleaning the tongue and throat of a warm-blooded animal, including a human.
2. Description of the Related Art
Practicing good oral hygiene is often directed to, for example, preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease (i.e., gum disease); preventing or mitigating halitosis (i.e., fetid breath); avoiding unsightly teeth, gums and tongue; and avoiding the onset of various illnesses and other diseases that may take hold in the mouth and throat. Practicing good oral hygiene largely amounts to thoroughly and assiduously removing from the mouth and throat various contaminants, including pathogens such as bacteria and viruses; food debris; and stains found therein.
Contaminants, such as bacteria and food matter may be found on all surfaces in the mouth. Areas that are particularly problematic in this regard include the areas between tooth enamel and gingival, or gum tissue (i.e., gingival crevices), interproximal tooth surfaces, the tongue, and the throat. Some of the bacteria is present in the form of a clear (almost invisible) sticky film having an organized structure and referred to as dental plaque (“plaque”), which adheres to tooth surfaces, gum tissues and the tongue. Plaque must be mechanically removed, and this is usually accomplished by brushing and flossing.
Despite normal diligence in removal of plaque, some amount of bacteria and plaque inevitably remains. In turn, calculus (also referred to as tartar) inevitably forms, thus, compounding the problem. It has been reported that 92% of Americans have a significant accumulation of calculus in their mouths. The result is tooth decay, periodontal disease and halitosis. It should also be noted that there are other deleterious consequences associated with the presence of viruses and bacteria in the mouth and throat. These include heart and blood vessel disease associated with bacteria entering the bloodstream and damaging heart muscle tissue and promoting blood clots, respiratory disease caused by bacteria ending up in airways, and colds and flues caused by viruses that take hold in mouth and throat areas.
Without question, a significant contributing factor in the above problem is the widespread belief, even by those who strive to practice good oral hygiene, that normal diligence in removing contaminants, such as food matter, bacteria and plaque, from the mouth amounts to thoroughly brushing teeth twice a day and proper flossing daily. Cleaning the tongue or throat is often omitted.
Yet, there appears to be ample evidence that effectively cleaning the tongue, for example, is an important component of oral hygiene. The filliform on the tongue surface readily capture food debris and bacteria. The captured food debris and normal mucous production yields a coating on the tongue surface. This, in turn, provides, particularly in the posterior area of the tongue dorsum, an aneorobic environment for various gram negative anaerobic bacteria, including: A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. forsythus, T. denticola, P. intermedia, and P. gingivalis. These bacteria are also found at the back of the throat, as are viruses.
Such bacteria are reported to be the primary source of gaseous volatile sulfur-bearing compounds that contribute to halitosis and the mineral-leaching acids that cause tooth decay. In one study, it was reported that the combination of tooth brushing and tongue cleaning reduced fetid breath by 85%, while the reduction realized by tongue cleaning alone was 75% and from tooth brushing alone was 25%. Further, such bacteria are a significant source of the plaque and calculus found on tooth surfaces and in gingival crevices, and associated periodontal disease. This is largely the result of their thriving in the anaerobic environment provided by the tongue, then swarming to those areas, thus, reducing the effectivity of extensive teeth and gum cleaning.
In summary, effective tongue and throat cleaning is beneficial in avoiding tooth decay and periodontal disease; fetid breath; heart, vessel and respiratory disease; as well as other illness and diseases that can take hold in the mouth, particularly in the throat. Other benefits of tongue cleaning include improving the appearance of the tongue (less coating) and of the teeth and gums (generally, less plaque and calculus resulting from contamination of the tongue); and improving the ability to taste and appreciate food by providing a cleaner palate.
Current methods for cleaning the tongue include brushing with a conventional toothbrush and toothpaste or water, typically while brushing teeth. Another method is to scrape the tongue surface. A number of plastic and metal tongue scrapers are commercially available. Yet another method is to rinse the mouth with a mouthrinse, alone or in combination with conventional brushing or scraping. Typically, throat cleaning is carried out by gargling or spraying the area with saltwater or a commercially-available mouthrinse.
The latter often may comprise alcohol and/or another bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal agent such as zinc gluconate, zinc chloride, triclosan, chlorine dioxide, or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). CPC is a quaternary ammonium compound that has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against a number of oral bacteria. Mouthrinses can act to clear the throat area of pathogens and debris by directly flushing away the same, by indirectly flushing away the same through stimulating the flow of saliva in the mouth, or by killing, and/or arresting the reproduction of, pathogens in the throat area. In addition, cleaning other areas of the oral cavity, as described previously, also helps to clean the throat.
The above-described methods are of limited effectiveness, however. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for compositions and methods related thereto for cleaning the tongue and throat that are more effective than those currently used. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.